Pests, such as insects, Acari (mites and ticks) and nematodes, are a major problem for the agriculture industry, limiting productivity, often significantly. Although chemical pesticides are used to control pests, excessive use of chemical pesticides leaves residues in soil, water and air and also has adverse effects on the non-target organisms and the ecological balance. In addition, pests can develop resistance to chemical pesticides, limiting their effectiveness and application. Public concern over potential health hazards of chemical pesticides and the increase in cost of chemical pesticides has also led to the exploration of more eco-friendly pest management tactics.
Biopesticides have been developed for use as an alternative, or in some cases as a supplement, to chemical pesticides. Biopesticides are living organisms (e.g., fungi and bacteria) that intervene in the life cycle of pests (by killing or disabling the pest). Examples of biopesticides include the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, which has been registered as a bio-insecticide for the control of insect pests in the United States and many other countries. Metarhizium anisopliae has been reported to infect many insect types including subterranean termites (Reticulitermes and Coptotermes spp.), corn rootworms (Diabrotica spp), black vine weevils (Otiorhynchus sulcatus), citrus root weevils (Diaprepes abbreviatus), Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica), and European chafers (Rhizotrogus majalis).
As natural agents, biopesticides offer more eco-friendly solutions for controlling pests and/or for use in combination with chemical pesticide. However, drawbacks of using biopesticides include effective delivery to area to be treated and the potential phytotoxic effects of formulations on crops and plants. Often biopesticides can clog nozzles on delivery devices and/or adhere to the inner surfaces of a delivery tank (often referred to as “staining”) because some biopesticides (e.g., Metarhizium spp.) are insoluble hydrophobic particles. Solutions have been to include surfactants in biopesticides formulations; however, many surfactants have been found to have phytotoxic effects on plants—including those of major agricultural importance.
An important need exists for biopesticides formulations which have low phytotoxic effects on plants and are efficiently delivered and do not clog nozzles or adhere to the inner surfaces of delivery devices when being applied.
EP Patent No.: 0406103 discloses pesticidal compositions base on microorganisms, processes for their preparation, and their use in agronomy.
GB Patent No.: 2,255,018 discloses entomopathogenic sprays and methods of controlling insects.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2012/0039976 discloses utilizing extracts of the pre-sporulation (preconidia) mycelia stage of entomopathogenic fungi as insect and arthropod attractants and/or pathogens.
Published PCT Patent Application No.: WO 95/10597 discloses entomopathogenic formulations that include conidia of an entomopathogenic fungus and a carrier. Methods of killing insects such as grasshoppers using the disclosed formulations are described.
Published PCT Patent Application No.: WO 08/065413 discloses formulations of entomopathogenic fungi for insect control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,989 discloses insecticidal and acaricidal compositions of silafluofen and at least one entomopathogenic fungus, such as, for example, Beauveria bassiana. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,280 discloses maintenance and long term stabilization of fungal conidia using surfactants.
EP Patent Application Publication No.: 1,884,160 discloses biopesticide compositions comprising fungal spores pathogenic for tics, tween, and paraffin oil.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2010/0112060 describes insecticidal compositions comprising spores of entomopathogenic fungi suspended in oil in water emulsions comprising fatty acid salts, polyhydric alcohols, and additional emulsifiers. The publication further describes methods for using the compositions for preventing and controlling insect infestation in animals and natural areas—in particular, tick infestations are disclosed.
German Patent Application Publication No.: DE 19707178 discloses insecticidal or acaricidal compositions.
Published PCT Patent Application No.: WO 11/099022 discloses compositions and methods of preparing the composition and methods for preparing fungal based products from innovative combination of dormant spore of naturally occurring Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana and Verticillium lecanii fungus with enzymes, fats and growth promoting molecules. Uses for controlling pests like aphids, whitefly, thrips, mite, jassids, Mealybug, and caterpillars and as well as soil borne insects like white grub, termite and alike are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,784 describes a novel and useful biopesticides with activity against insect pests such as boll weevil, sweet potato whitefly, and cotton fleahopper. The biopesticides comprises an entomopathogenic fungus having virulence against targets insect pests. A preferred fungus is Beauveria bassiana ATCC-7040.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,065 describes an entomopathogenic fungus having virulence against insects of the grasshopper family. The fungus is a strain of Beauveria bassiana—specificially B. bassiana BbGHA1991, ATTC 72450.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,513 describes an agricultural formulation of a virulent isolate of Beauveria bassiana, which has the characteristics of B. bassiana ATCC 74040, can be used to effectively control lepidopterous insects. This fungal strain has been found to be active against the egg stage of lepidopterans. Activity against the larval stages of lepidopterans is also shown.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,241,612 describes a biopesticidal composition for controlling insects (e.g., pecan weevils, the diaprepes root weevil, fall armyworm, fire ants), containing an agriculturally acceptable carrier and an effective insect (e.g., pecan weevils, the diaprepes root weevil, fall armyworm, fire ants) biopesticidal amount of a fungus selected from the group consisting of Beauveria bassiana having the identifying characteristics of Beauveria bassiana NRRL 30593, Metarhizium anisopliae having the identifying characteristics of Metarhizium anisopliae NRRL 30594, Beauveria bassiana having the identifying characteristics of Beauveria bassiana NRRL 30601, Beauveria bassiana having the identifying characteristics of Beauveria bassiana NRRL 30600, or mixtures thereof. Also, a method for controlling insects (e.g., pecan weevils, the diaprepes root weevil, fall armyworm, fire ants), involving applying an effective insect biopesticidal amount of the composition to the insects or to the plants, areas or substrates infested with the insects.
While many solutions exist to control a variety of insect pests, a need remains for a formulation that will not only control insect pests, but one which can be efficiently delivered without having phytotoxic effects on plants when the formulation is applied. A formulation capable of being efficiently applied (e.g., without clogging and/or adherence of actives and/or other excipients to surfaces, etc.) to control pests, while having minimal, if any, environmental impact or phytotoxic effects, is highly desirable.